Chapter 1: The Chosen Ones

“Aaaaargh! What a pain in the neck!”

Glenn’s wails and shouts were swallowed by the clear, boundless sky.

This place, a vast oval field encircled by tiered spectator seats, was the magic arena of the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy.

There were hardly any spectators, and the place was now quiet and deserted.

Yet, on the field, the presence of several students could be felt, all of them diligently training in magic with unwavering focus.

They were the elite, handpicked from the empire’s three major magic academies to form the imperial representative team for the Magic Festival.

In preparation for the upcoming Magic Festival, a special training camp had been organized, and the selected students were now engrossed in rigorous training and final adjustments.

“I’m telling you! Why! Do I! Have to be the head coach of these kids?!”

Glenn continued to grumble, ruffling his hair in frustration.

“Seriously, what are those higher-ups even thinking?!”

“Haha… Everyone’s got high hopes for you, Sensei. I mean, your track record is pretty amazing.”

Rumia, standing beside him, tried to soothe Glenn’s complaints.

Rumia brushed back her fluffy blonde hair, which sparkled as it caught the sunlight, and with a wry smile on her angelic face she said,

“You led Class 2 to victory at the Magic Tournament, and you helped us win the survival battle against Professor Maxim, too.”

“Those weren’t my achievements!”

“Plus, you saved Her Majesty from assassins, protected Fejite from the《Ship of Flames》, and even saved Snowria from destruction… Right now, Sensei, you’re practically a hero of the empire.”

“It was all just luck and circumstance, I tell you!”

“As one of the managers of the imperial representative team, I’ll do my very best to support you, Sensei… So, please, don’t sulk too much, okay?”

“Mgh…”

With Rumia pleading like that, Glenn could only fall silent, sulking begrudgingly.

The Magic Festival.

It was a magic competition that had once been held regularly across the North Selford Continent.

Each participating nation would send a team of ten exceptional young mages to compete in magical trials, vying for the top spot in a grand, global festival.

As the cold war between the Alzano Empire and the Rezalia Kingdom—the continent’s major powers, grew increasingly tense, the event had been postponed for years. But now, due to various political motives, it was finally set to be held again after decades.

(…So, picking the imperial representative team for the Magic Festival was fine and all… but why am I the head coach?! Talk about being unqualified for the part!)

From what he’d heard, there had been quite a few voices in the government’s upper echelons pushing for Glenn as head coach.

Rumor had it that even Her Majesty the Queen had approved the decision without hesitation.

Glenn had always thought the world stage was far too grand for someone like him… but it seemed the higher-ups had overestimated his abilities.

“Oh, it’s almost time for a break. I’ll go prepare water for everyone, okay?”

Rumia said with a gentle smile before walking away.

(Sigh… Guess I gotta start getting serious about this, huh?)

Glenn watched Rumia’s retreating figure with a sigh.

Two weeks had passed since the endless loop of the imperial representative team selection.

As the appointed head coach, Glenn was swamped with an unimaginable workload: boosting the team’s overall strength, predicting and preparing for the trials of the Magic Festival, researching the teams from other nations, and more.

Rumia, who had volunteered to be one of the team’s managers, was supporting Glenn with unwavering dedication.

Her commitment was so intense that, at times, she might have been working even harder than Glenn himself.

(She’s doing so much for me… Honestly, it’s kinda pathetic to keep whining like this.)

With a weary “yare yare,” Glenn let out another sigh and looked up.

“Hey, you there! You’re slow again! You guys are just too sluggish with your decisions!”

Before him unfolded a scene of students training diligently under the guidance of Eve, who had been chosen as the team’s magic combat instructor.

“Eve’s really settled in, huh… That achievement-obsessed, cold-blooded hysteric…”

Eve’s fiery red hair swayed as she threw herself into hands-on, intensive coaching.

Glenn gazed absently at her profile from a distance.

Her sharp, almost unapproachable beauty remained as striking as ever, but her flushed cheeks from passionate teaching, her stern yet kind eyes watching over the students, and the faint smile on her lips were undeniably captivating, even considering that it was Eve. She seemed far more vibrant than she had been during her military days.

Well, that aside.

“Man… what a lineup we’ve got here…”

Glenn’s eyes wandered over the representative students training diligently.

The first to catch his attention were—

“Here I come, Francine!”

“Ohohoho! Bring it on!”

On the far side of the field, Colette and Francine were sparring in a mock magic battle.

They were representative students from St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy.

“Haaaaaaa!”

Colette kicked off the ground, launching a fist crackling with lightning toward Francine.

Her close-combat instincts were almost primal, her knack for melee fighting truly exceptional.

Apparently trained in classical boxing from a young age as part of noble etiquette, she excelled at infusing her punches with a technique called Black Magic, blending magic into her strikes.

She was also highly skilled in physical enhancement spells, making her a reliable vanguard for the representative team.

“Tch, not bad. Maybe not now, but in the future, she’s definitely gonna outclass me.”

As Glenn watched Colette press her assault on Francine with admiration…

“Hmph, too naive!”

“Urk—?!”

Francine swiftly summoned a series of Will-o’-Wisps with flash-speed, deploying them in front of Colette to disrupt her charge.

Francine specialized in summoning magic, particularly spirit-based summons. Her repertoire of contracted spirits—Snow Whites, Will-o’-Wisps, and more—was so vast it was hard to believe she was just a student.

And above all—

“《I gaze into the mirror・Thou art reflected・We stand as two sides・Striving for truth》—!”

Francine chanted her spell, and from a gate that opened in the void descended a white angel.

Maruaha—a magical servant that manifests as a reflection of the caster’s soul.

The summoned Maruaha spread its wings and soared, brandishing a rapier as it lunged at Colette—

“Geez… That’s not a spell a student should be able to master.”

Glenn watched the scene with half-lidded eyes, dumbfounded.

Maruaha was, in essence, a persona—a facet of the caster’s own heart. Since it was an extension of oneself, any damage it took would affect the caster directly, but because it was oneself, the risks and costs of summoning were nearly zero.

It was a technique typically achieved by enlightened sages after years of rigorous training.

To think that at such a young age, she’d mastered both Black Magic and Maruaha summoning… What a terrifying talent.

“Well, their flaw is that they get so heated they lose sight of their surroundings.”

BOOOOM!

“Waaaaagh?!”

“Kyaaaaaaa—!”

Colette and Francine tripped over a magical trap set up on the field as an obstacle, both getting blasted away in perfect sync.

Shrugging, Glenn shifted his gaze to the next student.

There, a course littered with trees, rocks, walls, cliffs, and various terrain features had been set up—

“Hmph—!”

A girl was navigating the grueling course with breathtakingly graceful acrobatics, clearing it with astonishing speed.

It was Ginny, another representative from the St. Lily team.

Enhancing her agility further with physical enhancement spells, she deftly neutralized the traps attacking her with well-aimed shuriken, pressing forward without hesitation.

(She’s from the ninja village, huh? That’s no joke…)

Ginny’s magical aptitude wasn’t particularly high, but she’d honed her ninja techniques and reinforced them with magic, carving out a unique strength.

She was, perhaps, the team’s most unpredictable wildcard. Her skills in stealth, disguise, surprise attacks, assassination, poison expertise, infiltration, and lockpicking were unmatched.

“Those ninja techniques that don’t rely on magic… Depending on the situation, they could be a game-changer.”

With that thought, Glenn let his gaze drift further.

“I’ll go first! You two, follow my lead!”

“Hmph, what a hassle.”

“…Understood.”

There, three students stood facing a training golem twice the height of a person.

“《Howl, spirit of wind》—《Roar and thunder》!”

Leading the charge was Rize, a representative from the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, chanting her spell.

She unleashed three Black Magic [Stun Ball] spells simultaneously with a synchronous boot.

Three compressed air projectiles arced through the air, striking the golem with a deafening impact.

The tremendous sound and vibration battered the golem, slowing its movements.

—And at that moment.

“Haaaaaaa—!”

Rize, wielding a rapier, charged forward like a gale.

Her body enveloped in a whirlwind for acceleration, she employed Black Magic [Rapid Stream].

Riding the wind’s momentum, Rize swung her rapier.

Infused with high-density mana via Black Magic [Weapon Enchant], the rapier easily pierced and slashed through the golem’s sturdy frame.

Her swordsmanship was so refined and elegant, it was hard to believe she was a student.

“As expected of the top third-year… She’s a true all-rounder.”

Not just versatile, but exceptionally capable in every area.

Rize might lack raw power, but she excelled in both close combat and magical battles at an extraordinarily high level.

Her repertoire of spells ranged from offensive spells to healing spells, with an impressive variety and quantity. Her quick thinking, adaptability, and situational awareness were unmatched within the team.

And as Rize created an opening in the golem’s defenses—

“Raaaaaaagh—!”

Jaill seized the moment, charging in from the side and slamming his bastard sword into the golem.

His imposing well-built physique, uncharacteristic of a mage, and his stern rugged face, belied his role as a pure vanguard shield and power fighter, specializing in self-enhancement magic.

Jaill’s sword obliterated the golem’s arm with a single swing, sending it flying.

His swordsmanship was self-taught, but its sheer destructive force more than compensated for any lack of finesse.

His raw physical prowess was the best in the team, and his mental resilience was top-tier.

On top of that, his mastery of defensive spells, particularly White Magic [Body Up] and Black Magic [Tri-Resist], was unmatched, making Jaill incredibly tough and durable.

“Tch… Annoying!”

That’s why he could pull off feats like catching the golem’s massive swinging arm with his free hand—a truly remarkable display.

No matter the situation, Jaill would likely remain standing on his own two feet until the very end.

“Seriously… Who is that guy? Is he really just a delinquent student?”

As Glenn marveled, half-exasperated, the situation shifted again.

“Hmph… It’s done. Both of you, fall back.”

A boy observing the battle from the rear adjusted his glasses and spoke calmly.

It was Gibul, a representative selected from Class 2 of the second-year students.

At Gibul’s signal, Rize and Jaill quickly retreated.

In that instant, a ferocious wave of freezing air surged beneath the golem, and countless icicles erupted from the ground.

The golem’s legs were completely pierced and encased in ice, rendering it immobile.

Black Magic [Freeze Floor]—a magical trap Gibul had covertly set.

“I’ll leave the rest to you.”

As if his job was done, Gibul turned away.

Indeed, the immobilized golem was no match for Rize and Jaill, and the battle was swiftly concluded.

In the end, Gibul had made the greatest contribution with the least effort in this fight.

“Geez, that guy’s as smug as ever… but damn, he’s good.”

Glenn watched Gibul with a wry smile.

Among the rather eccentric members of the imperial representative team, Gibul was perhaps the most orthodox mage.

Thanks to his relentless efforts, his magical knowledge and spell repertoire were among the best.

He embodied Glenn’s teaching that “a mage’s strength lies not in the power of their cards, but in how they play them,” executing it with unwavering diligence.

While his physical abilities were somewhat lacking, Gibul was the one most likely to calmly find a path to victory in dire situations.

“And Heinkel, training under Eve right now, is a standout as a long-range support firepower specialist, even for a student…”

Glenn glanced over to where Heinkel, a student selected from Halley’s Class 2, was training.

Under Eve’s guidance, the tall, lanky, and taciturn boy was blasting target golems with fire magic, setting them ablaze with pinpoint precision. Heinkel seemed to have an exceptional sense for mana control, giving him an edge in manipulating wide-area offensive spells from a distance.

He could also handle close-range magical combat at a high level, ensuring he wouldn’t be a liability if enemies closed in.

As a rear-guard support, Heinkel was a dependable asset.

“Man, every single one of these kids is incredible… I’m starting to feel out of place here.”

Glenn was already certain that the members of this representative team would one day surpass him as mages by a wide margin.

As their instructor, meant to be a role model, he could only offer a wry smile.

“But… there are some really out-of-the-ordinary ones that make it even tougher.”

Finally, Glenn reluctantly turned his gaze to the ones he’d been avoiding.

On the duel battlefield, two students were engaged in a relentless exchange of spells.

“Right there! 《O great wind》—!”

Levin, a representative from Kleitos Magic Academy, and—

“Too slow! 《Let order reign (Cancel)》! —《O wall of air》—!”

Sistine, the main wizard of the imperial representative team.

The two were locked in a magical spar that set them apart from the other students.

“Impressive, Sistine! To pull that off in such a situation!”

“I’m not going down that easily!”

“Then how about this?! 《O violet lightning of the thunder spirit》—!”

“What?! That was close! A Double Cast?! You learned that?! When?!”

“Yes, thanks to Eve-sensei’s guidance…”

“Tch, no choice then… I’ll have to use my trump card—!”

“—Guh?! W-Was that a Delayed Boot with a Stock spell?! You’ve already mastered pre-chanted spells?!”

(W-What the heck are those two?!)

Glenn clutched his head, feeling the urge to scream at the heavens.

The spells they were using, like [Shock Bolt], were basic, but their execution was far too advanced.

“Listen up! Double Casting and Delayed Boot with Stock spells are ultra-advanced techniques that only a handful of people in the military can pull off! You kids have no business tossing them around like that!”

Levin, a prodigy with exceptional talent that outshone others.

And Sistine, who surpassed even him by a wide margin.

These were the kind of people you’d call the darlings of their era.

“Geez…”

This miraculous lineup of elite talents.

Honestly, our imperial team might just sweep the competition.

As Glenn mulled this over with half-lidded eyes, he suddenly noticed something.

“Huh? Wait, where’d that one go? That problem child…”

At that moment—

“H-Help me, Glenn-sensei~!”

A pitiful scream came from behind him.

Yare yare, not again… Glenn sighed and turned around, and sure enough, there was the problem child in question.

“I can’t take it anymore! I’m gonna die… I’m really gonna die~!”

The problem child flung herself at Glenn with a thud, clinging to him.

She was a female student wearing the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy’s uniform. The color of her ribbon indicated she was a year below Sistine—a first-year.

Her faintly peach-tinted, pale hair shimmered softly. Perhaps a devout follower of the Elizares Church, she wore a cross-shaped holy symbol at her chest.

Her petite, delicate frame seemed like it would fit perfectly in one’s arms if embraced.

Her face, still retaining a childlike innocence, was strikingly well-proportioned. Her skin was as smooth and white as silk, her cheeks soft and plump, her nose small yet refined. Her large, round eyes, like those of a rabbit, were utterly adorable, giving her a small, animal-like charm.

With those big eyes brimming with tears, she clung to Glenn as if she were a pet reunited with its owner after a long separation.

“Yare yare… You again, Maria?”

Glenn looked down at the girl clinging to him with exasperation.

Her name was Maria Luther.

A first-year at the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy and a member of the imperial representative team.

Selected as a first-year, she boasted exceptional mana capacity and a mastery of white magic that was extraordinary for a student, quietly earning her attention as a prodigy.

However, as a first-year, Maria lacked in physical stamina and combat experience.

Thus, during this intensive training camp, her assignments focused on grueling, basic tasks like stamina training and hands-on magical combat drills—tough, unglamorous work.

And so—

“I’m telling you, I’ll die! I’m gonna die! Running a hundred laps around the field while maintaining physical enhancement? That’s basically telling me to drop dead! It’s too cruel!”

She frequently gave up like this, running to Glenn in tears.

“I’m completely drained… I’d rather die than keep going. I just wanna die.”

“Geez, where’s your motivation?! Why’d you even volunteer for the representative team?!”

“B-Because, because~!”

“If you keep slacking off, Eve’s gonna roast me alive! I don’t wanna get roasted, so get back out there and die already!”

“N-No way~~~ !”

At that, Maria pulled away from Glenn and collapsed to the ground as if utterly crushed.

“Such cold treatment toward a frail girl… ugh… to think this is the true face of the heroic teacher I’ve always admired… oh, how cruel the world is…”

Then, Maria closed her eyes, clasped her hands at her chest, gripping the cross-shaped holy symbol tightly, and lay flat on her back with her legs neatly aligned.

“‘O Lord, O Lord, why hast thou forsaken me? At the very least, take my soul unto thy presence… truly, so be it—Fua Lan.’”

“YOU’RE SO ANNOYINGGGG!?”

Maria peeked at Glenn with half-open eyes, and he could only shout in response.

“Oh, God says that a teacher who lets a frail girl like me die will fall straight to hell.”

“Fine, I get it. I’ll go to hell. So, I’m gonna bury you.”

“Kyaaa!? H-Help meeee!”

Glenn pinned down the “sleeping” Maria and began covering her with dirt.

Maria thrashed about, tears in her eyes.

And then…

“Haha, Sensei, maybe ease up on her a bit?”

Rumia, carrying a large kettle filled with water, had just returned.

“She may not look it, but Maria-san was working really hard, you know? She put in more effort than her assigned tasks… and, well, you know that, don’t you, Sensei?”

“Yeah, I know… but this girl’s attitude just ticks me off!”

“Oh, Sensei.”

Seeing Glenn’s twitching cheek, Rumia let out a soft chuckle.

“It’s a bit early, but how about we take a break? Overworking ourselves won’t do any good.”

“Tch, fine. Alright, let’s take a break…”

In an instant.

“Rumia-senpai~~~ !? I love you so much~~~ !”

Maria, overjoyed, sprang to her feet and grabbed Rumia’s hands, shaking them up and down vigorously.

“You’re way too energetic, aren’t you?”

Seeing Maria’s blatantly opportunistic behavior, Glenn let out a deep sigh.

And so, the group entered a break time.

“Good work, Sensei. Here’s some water.”

“Oh, thanks.”

After distributing water to each of the representative athletes, Rumia finally brought a cup to Glenn.

Taking the cup from Rumia, Glenn sat down on a nearby bench and gulped it down in one go.

Having been constantly moving while coaching the students, the cold water felt deliciously refreshing as it soothed his parched throat.

“Phew… I’m alive again…”

“By the way… how’s everyone doing? Their condition, I mean.”

Rumia sat daintily beside Glenn and asked.

“Yeah, I’d say they’re shaping up nicely.”

Glancing over the students resting across the field, Glenn replied.

Then, his eyes briefly followed Sistine in the distance.

“Sistie! Sistie! You’re amazing as always! So cool!”

There, a female student from Kleitos Academy, Ellen, was excitedly tending to Sistine with flushed cheeks. Like Rumia, Ellen was participating as a manager, handling various small tasks for the athletes.

However—

“Here, Sistie, some water!”

“Hehe, thanks, Ellen.”

“I made some candied lemon for you, Sistie! Have some if you’d like.”

“Oh, really? These are great for fatigue, aren’t they? Thanks for going out of your way.”

—Ellen’s affection for Sistine was so intense that she was practically becoming Sistine’s personal attendant.

“I’ll give you a massage so you can train at full strength this afternoon too, Sistie!”

“Eh!? No, you don’t have to! I’d feel bad—”

“Don’t hold back! I want to do this for you. Come on, lie down…”

“Hya!? W-Wait, Ellen, you’re being a bit pushy…”

“Ahaha, here I go, Sistie…”

“Kya!? H-Hey, Ellen!? Where are you touching!? T-That spot… ah, ahn!?”

“Oh, Sistie… your skin is as beautiful as ever…”

—It felt like Ellen’s love for Sistine was veering into dangerous territory.

“…Well, whatever.”

Ellen had been both the mastermind and a victim of the infinite loop during the representative selection meeting.

Compared to the Ellen who had been shattered by despair back then, the current Ellen was far healthier. She had lost all the immense power and experience gained through thousands of loops, but seeing her smile so happily now was infinitely better.

Thanks to Sistine’s father, Leonard, Ellen had been removed from her abusive main family at Kleitos and was soon to study abroad long-term at Alzano Imperial Magic Academy.

(Everything’s heading in a good direction—)

“Haa… haa… nngh!? N-No, Ellen, not there… ahh!”

“…Sistie… oh, Sistie…”

(—It is heading in a good direction, right!? It’s fine, right!?)

Seeing Ellen pin down a prone Sistine, letting out suggestive sighs while entwining herself with her, Glenn could only grimace.

(That unnaturally high affection… could Ellen be retaining some loop memories!? And seriously, someone stop her!)

Well, there seemed to be some issues, but still.

“I don’t know what level the other countries are at, but… with these kids, they could go pretty far on the world stage, don’t you think?”

Thinking so honestly, Glenn flashed a smile at Rumia.

“That’s great! Hehe, I’m already so excited to see Sistie and the others shine on the world stage.”

Rumia smiled as if it were her own achievement.

“Thanks to you, too. You’ve been making everything run smoothly.”

“Oh, no… I’m just doing what I want to do.”

At Glenn’s words, Rumia smiled shyly and looked off into the distance.

“That’s what’s amazing about you. Not many people can step up to help with something that doesn’t directly concern them.”

Glenn praised her sincerely, looking up at the sky.

“You’re really something, you know.”

“……”

Rumia fell silent for a moment…

…and then, as if resolving herself, she spoke.

“…Hey, Sensei. Do you remember what I said before?”

“What’s that?”

“You know… about wanting to make magic truly a force for people.”

It felt nostalgic now—the words from when Glenn and Rumia had just met.

Back then, Glenn, a disinterested part-time instructor, had been unexpectedly moved by those words, which became the catalyst for him to change his attitude.

But now, he understood. The true meaning behind Rumia’s words—

“Of course, I’m sure part of it was for the sake of that ‘someone’ who once saved me… that’s definitely true. But honestly, maybe I just wanted to be a ‘good girl.’”

“……”

Glenn fell silent, taken aback.

Yes, Rumia was the disowned princess of the Alzano Empire—a true member of the royal lineage.

As an Ability User, her existence had been erased for various political reasons, a discarded princess.

Her very presence could have been a nuisance to others.

That’s why she had to be a “good girl.” She had to sacrifice herself to uplift others, to be the universally acknowledged “good girl.”

That backward reasoning had shaped the old Rumia’s “good girl” persona.

“But, Rumia, that’s—”

As Glenn started to protest, she cut him off.

“It’s okay, Sensei. I understand now. Don’t worry.”

Rumia gave a playful smile and winked, pressing a finger to her lips.

“Sure, I was trying to be a ‘good girl,’ but… it wasn’t just that. It took time, but I finally realized it.”

“…Rumia.”

“And with you, Sistie, Re=L… and everyone at the academy saving me… I understood. Fighting and living for someone else… it’s truly wonderful.”

Saying so, Rumia brushed back her soft hair, tousled by the breeze, and looked up at the sky.

Her profile… somehow seemed so mature.

“Sensei, I’ve decided… I want to live for someone else.”

“!”

“Not because I want to be a ‘good girl,’ but because living for others feels like a wonderful thing that can make both myself and everyone else happy.”

“……”

“I don’t know the exact path yet. Like I said before, maybe it’s about making magic a true force for people, or maybe there’s another way. I’m thinking hard about it right now. But still… I want to live for someone else.”

Glenn gazed at Rumia’s profile as if beholding something sacred.

Suddenly, perhaps feeling embarrassed, Rumia’s face flushed, and she looked down.

“Um, sorry… I got carried away talking about all this… it ended up being so roundabout… but to find that path, I want to study all sorts of things and gain all kinds of experiences… so, um… what I’m doing now is kind of for my own selfish reasons… of course, I also want to do what I can for everyone, but…”

“……”

“So, I’m not the kind of girl who deserves your praise, Sensei. Please don’t hesitate to work me hard… I’ll do my best… so…”

As Rumia stammered nervously, head bowed, Glenn spoke.

“…You’ve changed.”

With a gentle smile, he ruffled Rumia’s hair.

“Eh?”

“You really have changed. You’re a hundred times better than before.”

“…Eh? Ehhhh!?”

“Honestly, I wanna curse the guy who gets to marry you someday.”

“Ehh!? S-Sensei!? W-What does that even mean!?”

While Glenn laughed cheerfully, saying something so ominous, Rumia turned beet red and flailed in embarrassment.

Ignoring her, Glenn looked up at the sky.

(That’s right… everyone’s changing… growing…)

Rumia, Sistine, Re=L. The students in his class.

They were all moving toward the future, changing bit by bit, growing.

(And what about me…?)

Sure, compared to before, he’d become more forward-looking. He’d let go of a lot.

But the dream he’d placed in being a Mage of Justice still simmered, never fully resolving, yet impossible to forget, leaving him in limbo.

Even being called a hero for the feats he’d stumbled into felt hollow.

Glenn hadn’t wanted to be a hero, after all.

(Maybe… deep down, I haven’t changed at all…)

Right now, being an instructor gave him purpose, a reason to move forward. But if he were no longer a teacher, would he still be able to keep going?

(…Sera… I…)

As Glenn saw a familiar face in the distant blue sky, lost in reverie… it happened.

“Sensei!”

A shrill voice pierced his ears, shattering his fleeting sentimentality.

“Ugh, you…”

Glenn slid his gaze sideways, exasperated, and there stood Maria.

Plopping down unceremoniously on the opposite side of Rumia, Maria rested her head on Glenn’s shoulder, leaning into him familiarly.

“Ughhh! You’re flirting with Rumia-senpai again~~~ !”

“Who’s flirting with who?”

“Flirt with me a little too, come on!”

“Not interested in kids.”

Feeling Rumia’s amused gaze, Glenn let out another deep sigh.

For some reason, this Maria Luther had an unusually high affection for Glenn from the start—so obvious even a dense guy like him could tell.

“Seriously, why are you so clingy with me?”

Curious, he pointed it out, and…

“That’s obvious!”

Maria puffed out her chest proudly and answered.

“You’re the academy’s hero, Sensei! You’ve saved this place from danger time and time again… I’m what you’d call a total ‘choroin’—an easy-to-win heroine!”

[T/N: ちょろイン (Choroin) is an otaku slang for a heroine who is “easy to win over.”]

“…Is that so?”

“But since we’re in different years, I never had a chance to get close to you… I could only admire you from afar. So, getting to interact with you like this now makes me so happy!”

“…Good for you.”

“Actually, I worked super hard to make the representative team just to get closer to you… kyaa! I said it! But you’re so cold to me and all lovey-dovey with Rumia-senpai… that’s not fair! So not fair!”

Was she joking or serious?

Glenn couldn’t keep up with this first-year’s energy.

(Is this what they call a modern gal? …I don’t get it.)

“Right!? Right!? Rumia-senpai, you agree, don’t you? Sensei should be nicer to me too, right!?”

“Haha, yeah. Sensei, be a bit kinder to Maria-san, okay?”

Rumia, smiling wryly, took Maria’s side.

Despite her quirks, Maria’s bright and friendly nature made her hard to brush off. Her constant clinging to Glenn seemed less calculated and more like a child excitedly buzzing around someone she admired.

“Ugh, Rumia-senpai’s kindness really hits me right in the heart…”

In fact, Maria wasn’t just attached to Glenn—she was close with Rumia too.

More than that, she was a social dynamo, connecting with everyone without discrimination.

She was quickly establishing herself as the team’s mascot.

(Well, whatever. Having a mood-maker like her around isn’t so bad…)

As Glenn began to see Maria’s presence in a positive light, she spoke up.

“By the way, are you and Rumia-senpai, like, dating or something?”

With a beaming smile, Maria dropped a merciless bombshell.

“Eh? Eh? EHHHHHH!?”

Rumia’s face turned scarlet as she let out a flustered squeak.

“…How does it even come to that…?”

Glenn could only sigh in exasperation.

“N-No way! What are you saying, Maria-san!? Me and Sensei dating? No way!”

Rumia, still red-faced, shook her head vigorously.

“But you and Sensei are always together, right!?”

“T-That’s because I’m the manager, so we just interact a lot for work…!”

“I knew it! I’ve always thought you two look so good together! You’re, like, totally in sync, like a married couple!”

Maria, caught up in her romantic fantasies, wasn’t listening to a word of Rumia’s protests. She clutched her cheeks with both hands, squealing excitedly.

“Sure, Sensei and Sistine-senpai have a lot of interactions too, but with her, it feels more like they’re partners or comrades-in-arms, you know?”

“Um, listen…”

“But you and Sensei? Total lovebirds! You’re so perfect together, there’s no room for anyone else to squeeze in!”

“I said it’s not like that~!”

“Sigh… if Rumia-senpai’s your choice, I guess I have to back off… sob sob…”

“Listen to me!”

Maria’s relentless teasing left Rumia in a flustered panic.

(Huh? Is this really Rumia? I thought she was the type to brush off this kind of teasing with cool, mature confidence…)

It seemed Rumia had indeed changed somehow, though Glenn, being a guy, couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

And then.

“Hey, what’s that I hear?”

“Indeed! Don’t go deciding Sensei’s lifelong partner without us!”

Overhearing Maria’s chatter, Colette and Francine—Ojou-samas from St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy—stormed over, looking furious.

“Ugh, more noisy ones…”

“Oh my, oh my! Were you that eager to see me, Sensei!?”

“Listen up, I’ve already decided I’m marrying Sensei! Right, Francine!?”

“Absolutely! It’s undeniably clear that Sensei is destined to be my partner!”

“That’s right! We’re not letting anyone get away with this while we’re around!”

“Exactly!”

“…You guys really don’t listen to anyone, do you? Like, at all.”

Glenn was utterly exhausted.

“If you want to win Sensei’s heart…”

“By defeating us!”

With that declaration, the ojou-sama trio glares fiercely at Maria and Rumia.

However.

“As expected of Sensei… ‘A hero loves beauty’… From Sensei, a living legendary hero, an ultra-high-density charm aura pours out like water gushing from a broken faucet. Even without saying a word, girls can’t help but flock to him. He’s become the ultimate heartbreaker, hasn’t he…?”

Far from being intimidated, Maria looks even more delighted, gazing at Glenn with utter adoration.

“Oh, how many girls will Sensei make cry in the future…? A hero worthy of reverence, yet at the same time, an enemy of women, a devilish fiend to be scorned! Oh, God!”

“Please, Maria, can you just shut up for a second!?”

“Slay the wicked demon! So, seniors! I have a proposal!”

Completely ignoring Glenn’s words, Maria snaps her hand up with a sharp gesture.

“What do you all think about being mistresses!?”

“““Huh!?”””

“Let’s all become Sensei’s mistresses together! That way, we won’t have to fight!”

As the girls freeze in stunned silence like statues, Maria clings to Glenn’s arm, fawning over him.

“Hey, Sensei? When that happens… could you please include me, even at the very bottom of the list? I won’t be selfish! Unlike the seniors, I know I’m just a short, charmless girl, so I’m fine being the lowest in the pecking order! Just being pampered by Sensei once in a while would make me happy! Okay? Please? Is that too much to ask?”

“Of course it’s too much!”

“No way that’s happening!”

“Absolutely not!”

In that moment, Rumia, Colette, and Francine are in perfect sync.

From here on, the scene shifts to Maria asserting outrageous claims while Rumia and the others frantically counter her in a chaotic frenzy.

Objectively speaking, Maria dominates the conversation entirely. Rumia and the others are merely swept along by the gleeful, younger Maria’s antics.

Maria Luther. A type of girl who had never appeared in Glenn’s orbit before.

…In a way, perhaps the strongest girl of all.

“Tch, another intense one’s shown up, huh…”

Faced with the endlessly noisy girls during what was supposed to be a break, Glenn could only sigh in exasperation.

“For now, well…”

“No, stop! Ellen! Hii!? S-someone, help…!?”

Deciding to do something about Sistine and the others, who were teetering dangerously close to the realm of improper interactions, Glenn stands up.

And so, the days of the training camp pass by—

Eventually, with each person achieving solid results, the camp concludes without incident.

The date of the Magic Festival draws near in the blink of an eye.

At last, the time comes for Sistine and the others to spread their wings on the world stage.